A phobia is an anxiety that has its roots in a persistent fear. And many of us are familiar with certain common phobias. Like arachnophobia (fear of spiders). Or claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces). But here are some weird phobias with which you almost certainly are unfamiliar. So you may think these obscure fears sound crazy. But the fact is they truly paralyze some people with terror.

Venustraphobia: The Fear of Beautiful Women

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Of all the weird phobias you've never heard of, this one will wreck your sex life. If people suffering from this phobia were hoping to find a beautiful woman to be with, good luck! The moment they see one, they want to run for the door. This may be caused by a lack of self-confidence, internal predispositions, and/or traumatic events.

Anthropophobia: The Fear Of People

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If you have this, then you probably cancel on weddings, high school reunions, office parties, and birthdays. Those afflicted with this condition aren't just afraid of people, they also fear having company over. So, if your friends planned to visit you, they were knocking on the wrong door.

Aphephobia: The Fear Of Touch

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If you're looking to get laid, then you're going to run into some problems with this phobia. If you have this, then you have an irrational fear of being touched. So things like kissing, hugging, touching, dry humping, and even caressing the crotch area is completely out of the question.

Autodysomophobia: The Fear Of Smell

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There seems to be a fear for just about everything and that includes smells. People with this phobia have a fear of smelling badly, all the time. They may wash off incessantly and avoid social gatherings. The origins of this phobia is tied to genetics, triggering events, and traumatic experiences.

Deipnophobia: The Fear Of Dinner Conversation

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If you invite someone with this condition to dinner, don't expect a whole lot of small talk, or any kind of talking, as people suffering from this have a fear of dinners and inner conversations. The stress might even cause them to have a panic attack at the dinner table.

Nomophobia: The Fear of Losing Cellphone Contact

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This phobia didn't exist until cellphones became popular. Today, there are folks who would rather lose their SOs rather than lose their cell phone reception. So, imagine driving through an area with no cell tower. Panic mode initiated!

Soteriophobia: The Fear of Being Dependent

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People with this phobia have a fear of being dependent on others, and it's considered a social phobia. But while most of us know that it's okay to depend, and even necessary to rely on others from time to time, these people simply can't submit to that notion.

Sociophobia: The Fear of Social Judgment

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This phobia goes beyond the fear of being in a crowded room. People with this condition are afraid of what society will think of them. Ultimately, it's the overwhelming anxiety of how they'll be judged based on their looks that makes their stress levels spike in ways others cannot fathom.

Gamophobia: The Fear of Marriage

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If you ever dated someone who never popped the question, they might have had this condition. Or maybe they just didn't want to get married. But this phobia goes beyond a fear of commitment. Some people are terrified by the notion of getting hitched and living "happily ever after".

Syngenesophobia: The Fear of Relatives

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We're assuming that Snow White and Cinderella had a good reason to suffer from this phobia. People suffering from this phobia are completely afraid of relatives, and that includes step-parents and in-laws. It's also caused by a triggering event, or a traumatic experience that hasn't been resolved.

Ecclesiophobia: The Fear of Church

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If the thought of churches frightens you, then you're a vampire! Just kidding. This condition, which is an unreasonable fear of churches, is also heavily linked to agoraphobia, the fear of going outside. There are tons of elements at church, (such as bloody artwork, disturbing images of people suffering and more) which can trigger someone easily.

Aerophobia: The Fear of Air

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Talking about weird phobias you've never heard of, those with aerophobia have a fear of swallowing air, airborne pathogens, or the average drafty window. So, if you see someone wearing a face mask in public, they're either really sick, or really scared.

Anthophobia: The Fear of Flowers

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Remember anyone you gave flowers to on a first date, and they slammed the door on your face? They might have had this phobia, which is the fear of flowers. This excessive fear of flowers can be overwhelming at times, as flowers surround open spaces in every corner.

Ancraophobia: The Fear of Wind

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People with this phobia certainly wouldn't do well during a hurricane. They would also want to avoid living in Chicago, the windy city. Otherwise, one gust of wind and they'll be curling into a ball in a corner and having a serious panic attack.

Heliphobia: The Fear of Sunlight

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If you have an adverse reaction to sunlight, you might have a sun allergy that causes tiny blisters to form on your skin, or... you suffer from this phobia. The stress is so heavy, that for some, the only way to soothe themselves is by hiding away in a dark room or waiting until the sun goes down.

Auroraphobia: The Fear of the Northern Lights

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They're known as polar lights or the Aurora Borealis, which is a natural light that dances in the sky at high altitudes. But for different reasons, the Northern lights trigger a scary reaction in those suffering from this phobia, who might go into full panic mode when the lights appear.

Chionophobia: The Fear of Snow

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Not everyone dreams of a White Christmas! For those with this phobia, building a snowman puts the fear of God in them. They probably can't watch "Frozen" with their kids either. This aversion to snow can be linked to a traumatic childhood event a person experienced in their youth.

Spectrophobia: The Fear of Their Mirror Image

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We've all had those moments when we look at ourselves in the mirror and dislike ourselves. But these folks are too afraid to look at themselves in the mirror, which is heavily linked to a traumatizing event where the person believes they've seen a ghost, or trauma that relates to mirrors.

Athazagoraphobia: The Fear of Being Forgotten

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Do you ever feel like all your friends are MIA, and that includes your family and close friends? Athazagoraphobia is a pretty common phobia, which is apparently liked to internal predispositions, and can be easily traced back to a traumatic experience that's still haunting them.

Gelotophobia: The Fear of Being Laughed At

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This phobia comes down to self-esteem issues and again, traumic events that are unresolved. If you're constantly looking for signs that you're being laughed at and ridiculed and you lack confidence, you might suffer from this phobia. So, even if no one is laughing at you, your brain tells you they are.

Selenophobia: The Fear of the Moon

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You won't be howling at the moon like a werewolf anytime soon if you have this phobia. This condition is a specific phobia that is also linked to painful memories and traumatic events in people's childhood. It causes people to fixate on the moon, or a completely dark night, moonless night.

Asymmetriphobia: The Fear of Asymmetrical Objects

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Those with this phobia don't like parts or articles of clothing like socks that don't match one another in size, shape, or color. Essentially, you need symmetry in your life or you'll totally lose it, and feel completely uneasy, which might trigger heavy anxiety attacks.

Ereuthophobia: The Fear of Red Lights

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Going to a nightclub with all those flashing lights might scare you if one of the lights includes the color red. People suffering from this phobia are completely put off by the color red, and that includes blushing, red roses, blood, and common warning signs, which also use the color red.

Automatonophobia: The Fear of Human-Like Figures

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If you have this phobia then you have an innate fear of wax figures, and dummies. So, taking a photo in a wax museum is certainly out of the question. People suffering from this are also afraid of humanoid robots, and other human representations. Sadly, there's really no way to trace back the origin of this phobia, as of today.

Aulophobia: The Fear of Flutes

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You watched "American Pie," where actress Alysson Flannigan told Jason Biggs that she stuck a flute up her thing. That was scary. But the fear of flutes is extremely debilitating for those suffering from it. Panic, shortness of breath, and panic attacks are to be expected.

Dextrophobia: The Fear of Objects To The Right

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You ever noticed that when you help someone move in or redecorate, they keep telling you to move things to the left? Chances are they have a fear of objects situated to their right. It sounds silly, but to the Dextrophobic, the fear is quite real.

Tachophobia: The Fear of Speed

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Maybe it's the thought of losing control or not being in control, but these people suffer a strong fear of speed. So, riding in cars, trains, and buses are out of the question. Also, "Fast and the Furious" or the TV show, "The Flash" could potentially trigger a response.

Cainophobia: The Fear of New Things

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A lot of us are afraid of change, but these people are afraid of anything that happens to be new. Moving to a new home, changing jobs, or even meeting new people could cause extreme anxiety, nausea, dry mouth, and even slurred speech.

Hagiophobia: The Fear of Holy Things

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Holy figures, like a statue of Jesus, or the Pope, are just some of the things that Hagiophobics are afraid of. Also, crosses, priests, holy water and other holy elements can cause irregular heartbeat, extreme anxiety, rapid breathing, or even a full-blown panic attack.

Ablutophobia: The Fear of Washing

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Is your car always dirty? Do you hate the idea of washing your face or taking long showers? Well then you might have ablutophobia, a fear of bathing or washing. This traumatic phobia can cause extreme fear, heart palpitations. trembling, shortness of breath and full-on horror episodes.